Team Preview
Written by: Will Hoenike
The spark for first-year North Star Charter head coach Katie Francis came at a boys basketball game last season. The spark to re-start the Huskies’ dormant girls basketball program.
“From there, I jumped right in and got open-gym time started,” Francis said. “We played in a tournament over the summer, a team camp and even hosted a camp for younger players here at North Star.”
And, with that, a program is born. Or, more aptly put, re-born.
The Huskies briefly had a girls basketball program for one year a few years ago. But, with the support of the school and the efforts of Francis and assistant coach Adam Rankin, the Huskies are returning to the floor on November 18 against Riverstone.
“I really want to focus on building a program from our elementary (school) and up from there to give these kids an opportunity to be exposed to high school sports,” Francis told the Preview. “So, for them, I want to build a full experience of being a part of this team.”
Early response has been strong. Francis expects to field a full varsity and junior varsity squad in year one. She has five seniors, two sophomores and ten freshmen – 17 total players – ready to take the floor. The benches may not be overflowing with substitute players, but the opportunity to build a new program is exciting.
So, initially, the focus will be on the details. Shot selection. Hustle. Communication. Execution. As the fundamentals become more refined, the results will follow. Francis insists her program will be active in the local community (the school is located on Linder Road in Meridian, three miles north of 5A Rocky Mountain High School) as well.
The Huskies will play in the 1A Western Idaho Conference and will host a tournament at North Star in late December, following the Christmas holiday. Riverstone, Ambrose, Notus and Horseshoe Bend are among the teams that will play at North Star, while the Huskies will take road trips to (among others) Wilder, Greenleaf Friends Academy and Liberty Charter.
For Francis and the girls at North Star Charter, it could be unfair to judge this season on the standings. It is a young, inexperienced team that is building its own traditions every day. The goal, obviously, is to win games and compete for championships. But, in year one of the re-birth, Francis and Rankin will focus on the building blocks of the program, introduce the girls to high school basketball and put the pieces in place for long-term successes.
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